


An interview (finally)

by PerplexinglyParadoxialPerson



Series: The stories of the Captain America needs a hug hashtag [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Art, Ellen show, M/M, Podfic Welcome, Social Media, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Transformative Works Welcome, Troll Steve Rogers, White Wolf Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24583561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerplexinglyParadoxialPerson/pseuds/PerplexinglyParadoxialPerson
Summary: For this story, I commissioned art from the awesome its42kio on tumblr! They did an awesome job, so please shower them with love! (I don’t know how to put a link in the notes, but if you copy and paste this, https://its42kio.tumblr.com/ you can go to their tumblr)I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you have as much fun reading this, as I did writing it!Note:This story involves the Ellen show, and I never watch talk shows, (or much TV at all) so please tell me if I made any egregious errors!
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: The stories of the Captain America needs a hug hashtag [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1466758
Comments: 4
Kudos: 95





	An interview (finally)

**Author's Note:**

> For this story, I commissioned art from the awesome its42kio on tumblr! They did an awesome job, so please shower them with love! (I don’t know how to put a link in the notes, but if you copy and paste this, https://its42kio.tumblr.com/ you can go to their tumblr)
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you have as much fun reading this, as I did writing it!
> 
> Note:This story involves the Ellen show, and I never watch talk shows, (or much TV at all) so please tell me if I made any egregious errors!

Tomi turned on the TV. It had been advertised that Steve and Bucky, who had recently come back from their honeymoon, were going to be on Ellen, and everyone would be watching. Steve had never given a proper interview in all the years that he had been in this century, he had only given a few press conferences, and posted some videos, and Bucky had only been in Steve’s videos.

She switched to the right channel, just as the commercial ended, and the intro played. As it ended, it revealed Ellen on a chair, and Steve and Bucky on a love seat beside her. They both looked tanned and happy, but something was different... Bucky’s metal arm! It wasn’t silver anymore, but a gorgeous matte black with gold lines, with nothing marking the shoulder anymore.

“Hello everyone!” Ellen said, “and welcome to the Ellen show. With me today are my guests, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, also known as Captain America and the Winter Soldier!”

“It’s a pleasure to be here,” Bucky said. “But if you will be referring to my,” he used finger quotes. “”Superhero name” then please use White Wolf instead of the Winter Soldier.”

“Of course!” Ellen said, “I have to say, I like your new arm.”

“Thank you,” Bucky said.

“It’s truly an honour to be hosting you today,” Ellen said. “You guys haven’t done any interviews, and I’m honoured that you chose me for this. But I’ve got to ask, why now? Steve, you’ve been out of the ice for almost seven years, and this is your first proper interview.”

“Yeah it is,” Steve said. “Honestly, it has a lot to do with my mental health at the time. When I first came out of the ice, I was in an awful place mentally, and my way with dealing with that was to ignore it. I decided to just... go on missions and ignore everything else about this century, and Fury didn’t make me do any interviews, so I could ignore it. And then the Hydra reveal happened, and that coping mechanism didn’t work so well anymore.”

“And no one tried to help?” Ellen said, “I’d think that you’d at least get a therapist once you got out of the ice.”

“They did give me a therapist,” Steve said wryly. “But I had a very bad feeling about them, and in war, you learn to trust your instincts, so I did as little with them as I could get away with.

What also didn’t help is what I knew of therapists. In my time, any mental illness, or being gay, could mean that you got tossed into an asylum with the key thrown away, and I wasn’t exactly told the difference in mental illness treatments between this century and the previous, so the last thing I wanted was to go to a therapist.”

“Your therapist didn’t correct those assumptions?” Ellen asked.

“Definitely not,” Steve said. “The thing is, during the dump of the SHIELD files on the internet, I found out some interesting things, for example, my therapist when I got out of the ice was a Hydra agent.”

“No wonder you had a bad feeling about them,” Ellen said.

“Yeah,” Bucky said. “But now we’ve both got good therapists that are actually helping, so we’re both getting better.”

“And how are you two adjusting to this century?” Ellen asked, “I know that you’ve picked up on social media pretty well lately!”

“Yeah!” Steve said, “social media can be a lot of fun, and it’s really useful to share information.”

Steve and Bucky shared a look, and Steve began to talk again. “As I said, I didn’t really adjust well at first, but it was partially because Bucky loved sci-fi. I know, kind of weird, but it’s true. I had always liked history a lot more than Bucky, but he loved sci-fi of all types, so I learned quite a bit about it. Almost everything that I learned about in the future had an equivalent in science fiction, so all it did was make me think, “Bucky would have loved this.” Things like aliens, space travel, machines like Helicarriers and passenger planes. Repulsors look very much like laser beams, and there are all sorts of robots and AI’s now! That wasn’t even counting the fact that in New York, gay marriage was legalized, and with every single one of those things, my first thought was, “Bucky would love this.” It was part of why I tried so hard to ignore the fact that I was in this century.”

Then he laughed softly and said, “well, that and the classic, “nineteen hundreds man” move of pushing down every emotion that wasn’t happiness or anger. That was definitely a factor.”

“That sounds awful!” Ellen said, “but you sound like that’s a thing of the past now.”

“Yeah,” Steve said. “Neither of us are anywhere near being perfectly mentally healthy, but we’re a lot better than we were.”

“Adjusting to this century definitely wasn’t as complicated for me,” Bucky said. “Sure, it was hard, but I had been brought out of the ice around once a year, so I absorbed a lot that way, and I had to be taught about recent tech to be a decent spy, so I definitely had a head start. Of course, once I had broken my programming, I was more concerned with staying out of anyone’s reach and recovering my memories, so I didn’t really realize that I was figuring out this century. There were a few things I definitely did a major double take at, but it was a drop in the bucket of crazy things that happened to me. I didn’t even really remember that I liked sci-fi for quite a while, I was so focused on survival!”

“You said that you broke your programming?” Ellen asked, “you don’t have to answer, but I’m kind of curious.”

“Honestly,” Bucky said. “The main reason that my programming broke is because of Steve. It definitely didn’t take down all of it, most of that happened slowly while I was on the run, but Steve... almost... made it actually possible for the rest of my programming to break? I don’t know how else to describe it. Anyway, to start, let me say that Steve was an idiot.”

“No I wasn’t!” Steve said indignantly.

“Yes you were,” Bucky said. “Now if you’ll let me continue... so I was made to protect the Helicarriers, and so I attacked Steve and the Falcon a lot as they made their way though each Helicarrier. Eventually I broke Sam’s wings, so he was grounded, and there was only one Helicarrier left.

Steve was an idiot and decided to wear the Captain America outfit he wore in the war, aka, the one that was less durable than his current one, and once he got the Helicarrier reprogrammed, he refused to fight me. So here I was, going after him, attacking him like crazy, and all he was doing was barely defending himself, and talking to me, trying to jog my memory. He even let his shield and helmet drop into the river like an idiot!

The thing is, I was so used to people knowing the stories about me and being terrified, that when I saw Steve being that stupid, half of my thought process was, “what is this idiot doing?””

There were a few laughs from the audience, and Ellen was snickering a bit.

“Then, while I am still attacking him like crazy, he goes and tells me something that was our way of saying “I love you,” stopping me in my tracks, and making me think, “wait, this isn’t any normal idiot, this is my idiot!””

The whole audience started laughing properly, and Bucky continued.

“Of course, that was the moment that the glass beneath Steve shattered, and he began to fall to the river, because that is just our luck, but we’re here now at least!”

“That’s quite the story,” Ellen said. “You two are a truly adorable couple. I was so surprised when the two of you came out, I really hadn’t expected it, especially at how you trolled everyone with it!”

“That was all Steve,” Bucky said. “He’s been a troll since he was young, and now we finally have a word for it!”

“That video actually wasn’t my first choice for coming out,” Steve said.

“I’m intrigued,” Ellen said. “What was your first choice?”

“So,” Steve said with a grin. “As I’m sure you can guess, a lot of talk show hosts have wanted me on their shows, and have sent me invitations. My first plan was that I would take up the invitation for one of the shows that had a very homophobic host, probably one of those people that seem to think that I didn’t like this century because I wanted it to be more like the “good old days.” Then I would wait for them to say something like, “isn’t it awful that gays actually have marriage rights when it’s a sin? You must want the good old days back, bla bla bla,” and on from there. Then I would say, “sorry, but Bucky has been my boyfriend since I was sixteen in nineteen thirty four and we got married last week.””

“That is absolute genius!” Ellen said, laughing, and Bucky put his head in his hands. “I wish I could have seen that!”

“I know right?” Steve said with a grin, “and the best part is that I would have been able to see their face in real time, right in front of my eyes! And they’d be so surprised that they probably wouldn’t even think to stop the broadcast!”

“You, my friend,” Ellen said. “Are a troll genius and I love it.”

“Thank you,” Steve said, doing a little half bow in his seat.

“He trolls like you would not believe,” Bucky said. “He came out to the Falcon through a joke, and still insists that his greatest achievement of all time was coming out to Tony by making out with me in his kitchen, and nearly making him faint from surprise.”

The audience was laughing again, and Ellen snorting with laughter.

“I have the picture on my phone,” Steve said proudly. “I managed to get it from-the security cameras, and I like to look at it now and then...” he said with a hand on his heart, staring dreamily into the distance. “Remembering how surprised he was... how high pitched his screech of surprise was... and how I completely crushed him in terms of internet popularity... Sigh... those were the good old days...”

Everyone was cackling, Tomi included, laughing so hard that her sides ached. She had seen the previous videos that Steve had made, but that still hadn’t prepared her for this.

Bucky made a sarcastic little flourish at Steve, dryly saying, “Steve Rogers everybody.”

Once the cackling died down, Steve grinning unrepentantly, Ellen tried to speak again. “Well,” she gasped, wiping tears from her eyes. “That was unexpected, but very funny. I... honestly can’t remember what I was supposed to say next!”

“Something about my arm I believe,” Bucky said amusedly.

“That was it,” she said. “If you have a mechanical arm that seems to move so much like an ordinary arm, then why haven’t prosthetic limbs available to the public advanced that far? And from what I know, you’ve had that arm for a long time, long before mechanical limbs were available.”

“It’s kind of complicated,” Bucky said, looking thoughtful. “First of all, the reason why arms like mine aren’t available for everyone is, number one, the US healthcare system-“ There were some snickers from the audience. “And number two, because this arm will only work on a super soldier.”

“That makes a lot of sense,” Ellen said. “Do you know why it only works on super soldiers though?”

“Yeah, it’s partially because previously it was heavy enough that any normal human that had it attached would have it rip out of the shoulder socket.”

“Well that’s gross,” Ellen said with a grimace. “But that sounds heavy enough that it would be painful for anyone, even you.”

“The first one was definitely heavy and painful,” Bucky said. “This one is a lot better and lighter, but it still wouldn’t work on an ordinary human. Given, I’m not exactly a biologist, I’m definitely more of a physics buff, but this is how I understand it.

First of all, the first arm was actually made during the war as an experiment of Howard Stark. He was trying to make a mechanical arm, but quickly realized that it wouldn’t work on any normal human, so when it was stolen from his lab, he wasn’t exactly concerned. It wasn’t exactly made to be lightweight, because it was just a prototype.”

“Howard Stark?” Ellen questioned.

“Yep,” Bucky said. “Hydra altered it over the years, but it being heavier made it even more powerful, and they weren’t exactly concerned with my comfort, so it stayed about the same weight. But as to why it doesn’t work for any normal human, the reasons are numerous. For one, the rigging needed to make it stay in place is pretty intensive, and goes pretty close to the heart, which makes it a dangerous procedure, even with enhanced healing. From what I know it’s also about how the serum adapts to stuff, and also something about how it connects to the actual nerves to make it move? There are a lot of reasons, most of which I don’t understand very well. I do know that Tony is working on something in the area of prosthetics though!”

“That’s interesting,” Ellen said. “Now, I’ve got to ask, most people have sweet nicknames for their significant others. How did you two end up with jerk and punk? And it has come to many people’s attention that the modern definition of punk is very different than the meaning from the forties.”

Both Steve and Bucky let out a laugh, looking at each other softly.

“Who knew that our nicknames for each other would be a matter of national debate?” Steve said wryly, “two poor kids from Brooklyn, and somehow we got here.”

“The nicknames were because we were friends first,” Bucky said with a smile.

“More like frenemies,” Steve interjected. “I didn’t like him at first because he came in swinging to a fight that I could have won.”

“Steve,” Bucky said, a deadpan look on his face. “We are not going to fight about this again, and yes, you did need my help.”

Steve rolled his eyes, but continued, “anyway, despite Bucky being wrong about me needing help, we eventually became friends. I called him a jerk because he butted into my fight.”

“And I called him a punk,” Bucky said. “Because in the twenties, when we met, punk basically meant naive. Kind of... inexperienced and young, so when he insisted that I was butting into a fight that he could have won... (he definitely couldn’t by the way) I called him a punk. But the modern meaning fits him pretty well.”

“Can you elaborate?” Ellen asked, “he doesn’t exactly look like a punk to me.” She gestured at Steve’s khakis and button up shirt.

Bucky laughed softly and said, “I get it, he looks as polite and innocent as someone can, especially with his devastating puppy dog eyes, but he is not innocent in any way. See exhibit one, his talent for trolling, and love of bad jokes. Then exhibit two, him not hesitating on taking down corrupt organizations, despite how entrenched they were in world security. Then exhibit three, how determined he is to get all rights for everyone, no matter how difficult. Let’s just say that he got arrested a few times for being in protests before the serum. And exhibit four, generally how he acted before the serum.”

“That’s... definitely true,” Steve said. “From what I’ve seen, part of the point of dressing like a punk is to say, don’t mess with me, stay away. That was definitely me before the serum!”

“You were prickly as a porcupine,” Bucky said affectionately. “Partially because no one would listen if you asked nicely for someone to stop catcalling a dame or whatever you were angry about that day. You would have taken to that style like a fish to water.”

“Wouldn’t quite work now,” Steve said. “I’m a bit more intimidating now, so I don’t exactly need it.”

“I don’t know,” Ellen said with a grin. “To me you look more like a golden retriever than anything intimidating.”

Bucky laughed heartily but said, “he may not look intimidating, but there’s this meme that fits us perfectly that Spider-Man introduced us to. Basically, Steve looks like a cinnamon roll, but will actually kill you-“

“and Bucky looks like he will kill you, but is actually a cinnamon roll,” Steve continued. “Like everyone is all, oh no, it’s the Winter Soldier, and whatever. But here’s a secret. He’s actually the best hugger I’ve ever met, and he makes the most delicious cookies I’ve ever tasted. He’s a cinnamon roll for sure.”

“That is adorable!” Ellen laughed, “you two are quite the couple. But speaking of cute, the story about your wedding was so cute and romantic.”

“It was kind of spontaneous,” Steve said. “But we still count it as our wedding day, despite the fact that we filed our paperwork a few weeks ago.”

“You are so sappy,” Bucky said softly.

“Like you aren’t,” Steve replied with a grin. “Sam actually likes to say that we’re soulmates of one kind or another.”

“Soulmates?” Ellen asked, “and how did he get to that conclusion?”

“A lot of reasons,” Bucky said. “For one, what are the chances that we would meet again? I mean, I was the only one at the factory that the serum worked on. It could have been literally anybody that it worked on, yet here I am. And having the serum made me able to survive the ice, and last long enough to be able to see Steve again without being a hundred years old! The chance of us, a couple, being the only two people with the super soldier serum, and both surviving to this century seems impossibly unlikely.”

“There’s also something else,” Steve said. “When Bucky was being controlled, he went after Fury, who decided to hole up in my apartment. To warn me that something was wrong, he put on one of my records. Bucky showed up later, and I didn’t know who he was then. But coincidentally, the first time I saw Bucky in this century, the record Fury chose was called “Its been a long long time.” It was made after the war, and it was about welcoming a lover home from war. Sam didn’t believe me at first when I told him.”

“No wonder,” Ellen said. “That’s a pretty crazy coincidence! But I have to say, recently I’ve seen a lot of art on different platforms and with different mediums, and so many of them are depictions of your wedding!”

“Yeah,” Bucky said. “The media can be kind of weird, because they’re so focused on our every move, but this is definitely a good result of being so famous.”

“We never had wedding photos,” Steve said. “Cameras existed then, but our antics would damage a camera pretty quickly, and it wasn’t seen as a necessary piece of equipment with me having an eidetic memory. And even if we did have any, it’s likely that they would have been destroyed. They aren’t quite wedding photos, but it’s so much better than nothing. I actually have a favorite that I want to show you, it’s super cute, and the detail is incredible!”

One of the screens changed, showing the piece of art.

[Link to photo](https://zupimages.net/up/20/23/rh7q.png)

  
It truly was adorable, the adoration in their gazes obvious and truly sweet. The shading was incredible, and the attention to detail was fantastic. It definitely deserved love. 

“In case you were wondering,” Steve said. “The persons tumblr account is called its42kio, and they deserve some love. I would mention more of the incredible creators and their art, but I would probably end up taking up this whole interview with that!”

“That will definitely give the artist a lot of attention,” Ellen said.

“Yeah,” Steve said. “Before the serum, I was an artist. I mostly did jobs for ads and sign painting when I could get it, but I know the struggle of getting yourself out there. Creators nowadays are pretty lucky, having the internet at their disposal so they canconnect with other creators, and buyers, all over the world.”

“Have you been making any art recently?” Ellen asked, “I’m sure that a lot of people would pay a lot of money for a “Captain America original.””

“I don’t have the most time in the world to do art unfortunately,” Steve said. “Being Captain America takes a lot of time, and includes a lot more paperwork than you might expect! Then there’s training the new Avengers, continuing work on revising the Accords, and a lot of other behind the scenes stuff! I’ve been doodling a bit, playing around, but I don’t have the time. Once I get the time, I’ll commit to it more.”

“And what hobbies do you have Bucky?” Ellen asked.

“Mostly baking and cooking honestly,” Bucky said. “We both have enhanced metabolisms, so we both need quite a bit more food than the average person. Steve can and does cook when it needs doing, but I actually enjoy it, and Steve tolerates it, so I do most of it. We used to do a lot of takeout, and we still do when we don’t have the time, but I really enjoy trying out new recipes, and making people’s days a little bit happier by being able to eat something delicious.”

“No wonder Steve called you a cinnamon roll!” Ellen laughed, “I wonder if I could convince you to come to my house to cook...

But honestly, we’ve almost run out of time! I wish we could talk more, but we need to wrap this up.”

“We enjoyed talking to you,” Steve said. “But you’re right, we don’t have any time left.”

“It was great meeting you,” Bucky said. “And I hope we can see you again soon.”

“I hope everyone enjoyed the show,” Ellen said. “And I’ll see you all next time!” The ending music rolled, and the show ended.

**Author's Note:**

> Who knows where Steve and Bucky went on their honeymoon? You have three guesses, and the first two don’t count!
> 
> And in case anyone was wondering about the chances of Steve and Bucky meeting again in this century because it was mentioned in this story... let’s just say that I’ve been doing a lot of math recently. (A lot)


End file.
